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Making Te Kauwhata township proud

Te Kauwhata's new award-winning library and council service centre sets the benchmark for the revitalisation of the small Waikato town.

The flagship civil facility was created through a combination of both our architecture and engineering ingenuity. Standing at the gateway to the village centre, the new Te Kauwhata Library greets visitors with its sculptural form of glass, steel, concrete and timber. With its lush park-like surroundings, its angled structural glass curtain connects the park setting to the retail development beyond.

Inside, the library is light and open with strong links to its unique exterior. It is sculptural and artistic, from the reception counters to the book displays, and from the acoustic panels to light fittings. Thermal and UV protection is used for the comfort of the library users and its extensive collection.

In response to our understanding of international library design philosophy, we designed the library to celebrate the main goal of a library's central function - to present empowerment through knowledge to all who seek it.

In 2011 our team received the New Zealand Institute of Architects Waikato/Bay of Plenty Public Architecture Award for Te Kauwhata Library. The judges commented:

"A sculptural and vivacious exterior leads via a sweeping entry into a central vortex which then spills out to the pleasant pools that are the book spaces. The Architect's stated belief that 'good public architecture should be robust and enduring, but should also delight and inspire people' has been ably realised in this project. The library is a building that should make its town proud."

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